


Decompressing

by Hellokaelyn



Category: NCIS
Genre: Episode: s16e06 Beneath the Surface, F/M, Friendship, post episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-11 04:30:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16468769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hellokaelyn/pseuds/Hellokaelyn
Summary: “Talking to your best friend is sometimes all the therapy you need.” - Unknown





	Decompressing

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little post episode fic :)

Ellie and Nick sat on the couch at opposite ends, their legs stretched out and tangled together. Both were silent as they picked at their take out chinese food.

Nick’s mind was spinning too much to even focus on fixing his growling stomach. 

No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t stop thinking of how similar he and Kohl were. There was only one difference he could see thanks to talking to Gibbs before coming over to Ellie’s, and that was Nick choosing to stay in the lane while Kohl chose to leave it. But Nick still had become the guy who killed people, didn’t have attachments, they even had the same tastes for certain things. 

“Nick.” Ellie said breaking him out of his thoughts. “Talk to me.”

He sighed. He said enough to McGee earlier, but this  _ was _ Ellie, his confident for the past few months. 

Without making eye contact, he explained the same things he said to not only McGee but Gibbs and Sloane too. 

After he was done, Nick saw her set down the food on her coffee table. Her hands reached out and grabbed his too, setting it down too. Ellie moved from her spot on the couch, Nick wanted to protest as she untangled her legs from his and got up...or until she was suddenly sitting on his lap, arm around his neck as her fingers ran through his hair. 

“You have to stop thinking like this, Nick. It won’t lead you anywhere good.” She said softly, her eyes locked with his.

“I can’t help it...I mean we’re not much differe-”

“Nick.” Ellie said sternly, making him quickly shut his mouth. “There’s a huge difference between you and Kohl for two reasons. One, you  _ have _ attachments or else what do you call your sister and niece and the team? Or even me? I mean we spend almost all our free time together and you’re telling me that’s not considered? And two, Kohl had a choice when it came to killing, he chose to go into that ‘profession’, you on the other hand chose to catch the bad guys and sometimes it comes with the job but we have to remember that in the end it saves people and yes Kohl took out some bad guys but he did it for the money not for justice.”

Nick stayed silent for a few minutes taking her words in. Something in his head kept telling him the same things he had been thinking, but Ellie  _ was _ right. Kohl didn’t have any family members while Nick had two even if he didn’t spend as much time with them as he should, Kohl didn’t have friends or at least any good ones while Nick had the team that had become family to him in ways, and especially Kohl didn’t have anyone like Nick had Ellie. 

Kohl didn’t have someone he loved.

“You’re right.” Nick said. “It’s just a hard thought to get out of my head.”

Ellie made a ‘hmm’ noise. “I understand, give it a few days I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

He nodded. ‘Maybe, and if not-”

“Then I’m here.” Ellie interrupted with a smile. 

Nick grinned. “Thanks Ellie, seriously.”

“No problem.” Ellie looked at him. “Actually there is something..”

“What’s that?”

“Babe? Seriously?”

Nick threw his head back and laughed. 

“You know you loved it.” He teased, smirking.

Ellie huffed, getting off his lap and taking off but not before stealing his food on the way.

“Hey!” Nick shouted, he looked down into her chinese cartons only to see them empty. “You had your own, you can’t take mine too!” 

He took off after her. Ellie was sitting on her kitchen counter, grinning as she ate his food.

“Hey come on, I’m starving!”

A flash of guilt crossed her face but Nick only reached into one of the draws, pulled out a fork, and stole a piece of orange chicken. Ellie chuckled. 

“That works too.” 

Nick lifted himself up onto the counter next to her as she set it between them to share. 

“Thanks babe.” He said to her with a cheeky grin and wink.

Ellie rolled her eyes but the slight blush to her cheeks gave her away.

_ One day i’ll call her that and she won’t take it as a joke  _ Nick thought to himself.

One day.


End file.
